CAPTAIN GIRARDI
by SANDEFUR
Summary: When murder strikes close by...
1. Chapter 1

CAPTAIN GIRARDI

by

SANDEFUR

Disclaimer: This is fanfiction just for fun. I have no claims.

X X X X X

4-12-04

Captain Will Girardi, chief detective of the newly expanded Hogan County sheriff's department, stares at the single word he has typed on his computer: 'Richard,'. Will sighs as he tries to think of what to say. Nine days ago, at Joan's prompting, his estranged brother came to Arcadia hoping for a reconciliation, but it had been too painful for Will to deal with at that moment. In one way it had been good to see his brother again – the last time was at their father's funeral and they hadn't spoken. But in so many ways seeing Richard brought it all back: his parents' painful divorce when he was only six, the slow slide into poverty that came as the family's Italian restaurant slowly died in a neighborhood that was in decline, the unending bitterness his Mama constantly spewed about her ex, the occasional visit to see Pop and his new wife… It hadn't been too bad before Richard came, those visits, as the new Mrs. Girardi was not the woman his father had the brief one night stand with that ruined his marriage, and she warmly welcomed her new stepson into their home. Oh, Will did carry a lot of resentment in those days, after all his Pop was working his way up the ladder at the Chicago police department and his new wife made a good living as a nurse, and she came from a well-to-do family. Their rising prosperity stood in stark contrast to what Will had to endure at home, but his resentment never went so far as to cause a permanent riff between father and son.

But then…Richard was born and everything changed for the worse. Will was sixteen at the time, a star athlete in school who was very popular with the girls – a great time of life, right? Except that was the year the restaurant went out of business and the family had to turn to government aid to survive. Will worked hard at part time jobs to help out, which meant dates were few and far between, and even his athletic career suffered as he had too little time to properly hone his skills. His mother, and it took Will a lot of years to realize this, had gone a little bit crazy. All of their problems were Gerald's fault – her hated ex who lived so far above their station in life and to whom Eleanor attributed all of the ills of the world. As the years went by, high school graduation was followed by a long struggle to make it into the minor leagues while Will witnessed his 'replacement' half brother enjoying the best of all that life had to offer. Eventually Will cut off all contact with Richard in a virtual denial of his existence, a position he clung to so strongly he forced others to go along. No mention of Richard's name was allowed in his house and reluctantly Helen and his other relatives had agreed.

But Joan, who for some reason decided to take piano lessons again, found an old letter from his Pop that mentioned Richard and despite his best efforts to throw her off the scent, Joan stubbornly tracked down her previously unknown uncle and brought him to their home. It was a failed meeting, but Will was left with his father's old police badge. Every night since then Will has stared at that badge just before bed time and he has experienced regrets, regrets, regrets… If only Joan hadn't found that letter while searching for her old piano exercise books. Why didn't Helen throw it out like he asked? Will sighs and remembers he too kept Helen's paintings from the time shortly after her rape when she was dealing with all that had happened to her. Helen asked him to throw them away before the move to Arcadia, but he made sure they were included on the moving van. Somehow he just knew she wasn't through dealing with what those paintings meant, just as Helen knew he wasn't through dealing with his troubled relationship with his late father and estranged brother.

Will looks again at his computer screen and the first word of this impossible to write e-mail. He supposes he should thank Richard for the badge – Helen was insisting he owed his brother at least that much – but what else? An apology? 'Sorry kid brother for dumping on you a lifetime of hurt feelings that you never caused.'? Except he did, but through no fault of his own. Richard is the constant reminder of the life Will should have had but was denied due to his father's one huge mistake. No matter how hard he tries, no matter how rational the argument that hurt feelings should be put aside, Will finds he cannot open this can of worms. Will deletes the stalled e-mail.

It is the day after Easter, lunch time, and the central station of the Arcadia police…(no, sheriff's station number one) is unusually quiet. It always is Easter weekend and for a day or two afterward, but it won't last. Will has already caught up with all of his paperwork and there are no major cases on the board. At least half of the cops normally in the station are out to lunch, and the rest are like Will, eating at their desks. The sudden SCREAM is long, loud and blood curdling…

Will rushes from his office just as many others are standing from their desks and looking to the back of the station. No one seems to know exactly where the scream came from or why, but that is the direction. As Will rushes toward the back of the building, ordering milling uniformed and detective officers out of the way, a second scream comes undeniably from the backstairs that lead up to the third floor. Will arrives and sees a sight that normally wouldn't throw him, after all he has worked homicide for years, but here in the station it seems a personal violation to see a murdered woman sprawled on the stairs. Beside the victim, pressed as far back as she can, is the screamer – a woman Will expertly classifies as a prostitute. The young hooker looks truly terrified by what she has found on the semi-dark stairway.

"Parker, call the lab boys in the basement and tell them to get up here. This is a crime scene, everyone keep back." Will orders as he extends his hand to the prostitute. She shakily descends the stairs and takes Will's hand, grateful to be away from the dead body.

"Sgt. Williams, take this young woman to interview room one and get her statement. Everyone else, get back to your desks…" Will hesitates as he sees two senior cops appear at the top of the stairs – Lt. George Gordon, head of SWAT and that new cop from New Orleans that Sheriff Rakowski hired to head up Internal Affairs, Lieutenant…Preston(?). "Lieutenants, keep your distance. We are playing this one by the book despite the location of the crime."

Will notices Barry Caldwell ("The Bear") has rolled up to the edge of the third floor landing. Well, at least he doesn't have to advise him not to come closer. Will travels the few steps it takes to reach the body, verifies she is deceased and returns to the second floor. It is a routine action since no one is in doubt about the victim being dead – the stiletto through her heart has seen to that.

"Does anyone know who she is?"

Detective Third Grade Carlisle responds, "Pamela Price, she's a new reporter for the Herald. She's assigned to covering the courthouse but stops by here once a day to gather crime statistics and sniff for any overlooked stories."

Will nods. "The name is familiar. She's called me a couple of times for interviews, but I always refer her to the public relations officer. Carlisle, how do you know her so well?"

"We dated a couple of times."

From the top of the stairs Preston calls out, "Captain, have you thought to seal the building?"

Will mentally berates himself for that gaffe. "Lt. Gordon, call the front desk. Full security lock down. No one gets in or out until we get a handle on this situation."

Gordon nods and heads for his office. Will hears the ding of the elevator and notes the arrival of the Crime Scene Unit, who for the first time have only had to travel upstairs to get to the scene of a murder. Further back from them Will notices that Undersheriff Roebuck is not in his office. When he gets back from lunch, he is going to be pissed about what has happened in his absence.

X X X X X

After the initial excitement has settled, and calls have been made to the sheriff and the undersheriff, Will joins his old partner in interview room one. He and Sgt. Williams share a brief whispered conversation...

"Meet Bertha Malloy, a.k.a. 'Valentina'. She was picked up last night for solicitation and was released with a desk appearance ticket a little less than half an hour ago."

"Why was she going up to the third floor?"

"To file a complaint with Internal Affairs claiming sexual misconduct by the arresting officer. It's her standard procedure. Every time she gets arrested, Valentina complains to I.A. about something. She hopes the cops will stop bothering with her if she makes them go through a complaint investigation every time they pick her up."

Will nods as he sits opposite 'Valentina' and notices that under the gaudy make-up this seasoned pro from the streets is only a couple of years older than his own daughter. "Miss Malloy, I'm Detective Will Girardi..."

"I know who you are. You're the former police chief who brought down all of those crooked politicians. Hey, I lost a lot of good customers because of you."

"Sorry for the inconvenience. Run me through your story."

Valentina shrugs. "Like I told her, after my release I went upstairs to file a complaint. I was halfway up before I noticed...the body." (She shudders.) "One of the light bulbs is burned out, so it's kind of dark there. You guys should take care of that before someone trips and sues you."

"The body...?"

"Oh yeah. For a second I thought it might be a drunk who had wandered away and passed out on the stairs, but then I saw that knife thingee sticking out of her back... God, I nearly crapped my pants! That's when I screamed."

"You didn't touch the body?"

"No way."

"Did you hear or see anyone nearby who seemed suspicious?"

"I was alone. There was a lot of activity on the second floor, always is, but quiet above me. The third floor is always quiet. There isn't much up there besides Internal Affairs and that bald cop in the lieutenant's uniform."

"Lt. Gordon from SWAT."

"I wouldn't know. Arresting hookers usually doesn't call for SWAT." Valentina says with a smile as if she thought the idea funny.

Will carefully looks Valentina up and down, evaluating her through experienced cop eyes. "You're sure you didn't touch the body - that you screamed as soon as you realized she was dead?"

"Duh. Why would I want to touch a corpse?"

"Perhaps because her shoes were so much better than yours? I couldn't help but noticing you wear a lot of high fashion knock offs, but your shoes are genuine Manolo Blahniks."

"Hey, these are my shoes!"

"So our crime scene guys won't find your fingerprints on the shoes the victim is wearing?"

Bertha 'Valentina' Malloy hesitates before forcing tears to her eyes. "The exact same shoes in the same size, how could I pass up an opportunity like that? I've never owned the real stuff before, and it's not like she will ever need them again!"

"Did you move the body?"

"No...at least not much. I only switched shoes before I screamed. That woman was just how I found her, face down with her feet toward the third floor and her head toward the second. Honest!"

"I think 'honest' is a relative term with you. Sergeant, book our friend here for theft and make sure bail is denied. She's a material witness and a possible suspect."

"SUSPECT? Hey, do you think I would kill someone for her shoes?"

"Robbing the dead doesn't speak well of your character. You should hope we come up with a better possibility."

Will exits the interview room and Sgt. Williams follows. "Will, do you really think she did it?"

"No Toni, but this might be a useful life lesson for her. At least she will be where we can get ahold of her if we need to question her again."

"Got it. Will...how did you recognize she was wearing real Manolo Blahniks?"

"I got Helen a pair for Christmas. After seeing that price tag, I will never forget what those shoes look like."

X X X X X

Andy Reese crosses the bullpen of the Herald, heading directly for Rebecca Askew's desk. Someone always monitors the police channel, and during this lunch time he volunteered since there was little on his plate this post Easter Monday. He now regrets being so generous with his time as he is aware that their assistant city editor Rebecca and that new reporter were friends...

Across the news room Kevin is busy at his desk - fact checking the seemingly endless flow of news stories. He barely notices Andy Reese as he approaches Rebecca, but some instinct draws his attention to the pair. He and Andy Reese have been cool to each other ever since the pissy style editor trashed his Mom's paintings in his review and he in turn blocked publication of Andy' biggest story of the year. Kevin nearly lost his job over that act of revenge. Kev watches as Andy leans close and whispers to Rebecca, followed by her obvious distress. Rebecca turns away and begins to cry. Although his relationship with Rebecca has stalled (he isn't ready to accept that it is over), Kevin automatically starts to head for Rebecca's desk to comfort her. Before he can really get rolling, Kevin's cell phone rings. An unbreakable habit, Kevin checks his phone and sees the caller i.d. says Will Girardi...

"Dad, is anything wrong?" Kev asks with concern. It is rare that they call each other during the work day.

"Kevin, I don't know if you've heard yet, but a young woman was found murdered here at the police station. She's a reporter for the Herald named Pamela Price. Do you know her?"

"Yeah Dad, I know all of the reporters, but I don't know her well."

"Who should I speak to? It would have to be someone who knew her professionally and personally."

As Kevin watches Rebecca still crying, he now understands the why of her tears. Prior to their split, he and Rebecca use to discuss all aspects of their lives, including why she vouched for the recently hired Pamela. The pair knew each other in college and even belonged to the same sorority. Despite the fact Rebecca had been a senior and Pamela a freshman, they became friends. In fact, in strictest confidence, Rebecca confessed to Kevin that she and Pamela were at one time much more than friends...

X X X X X

Sheriff Rakowski looks about at his group of senior officers - everyone from the rank of lieutenant on up. A lot of these officers he barely knows since they were until recently Arcadia city cops, and he had always kept his nose out of city business. Now, thanks to Will Girardi, he has jurisdiction over all of Hogan County, including Arcadia. There was no choice but to keep most of the cops who were on the force at the time, and he has left the running of the day to day business of law enforcement in the hands of his new 'Undersheriff', Roy Roebuck. It was only Will's strong reccomendation that got Roebuck this job. Rakowski had his doubts about his new right hand man - after all, he sat on the information that brought down the old government, too afraid to act. But Roebuck, up until now, has proved to be good at his job.

"Alright, let's go through it. A 22 year old woman, a news reporter, gets stabbed to death in the middle of a police station, surrounded by cops, and no one noticed anything?"

Roebuck responds, "Half the usual amount of cops were on lunch break, and the back stairs are almost unused. Everyone either takes the stairs at the front of the station or the elevator. As for the killing, it was done by someone who knew what he was doing. A single thrust through the back penetrated the heart and killed Miss Price instantly. The killer left the blade in the body, and with its' wide hilt, there was no blood splash."

Rakowski picks up the murder weapon, sealed in a plastic evidence bag. "Who the hell uses a stiletto these days? It's basically a steel tube with a razor sharp end - all stab and no slash. I've been a cop for over thirty years and I've never seen one used in a crime before."

Will adds, "It's like a weapon from another era. Odd thing is, I feel as if I've seen this knife before."

Lt. Gordon from SWAT adds, "Me too. In fact, several people who have seen the stiletto swear that it looks familiar but can't place it."

Lt. Preston, her slight southern accent sounding distinctive in this room, adds, "The real question is how the killer got this weapon into the station. All visitors and employees, except for cops, have to go through a metal detector."

Rakowski growls, "Are you suggesting one of our own may have done this crime?"

Preston shrugs. "It's a possibility to be considered. Who else but a cop at this station would have the nerve to try something like this?"

Roebuck responds, "How about a few dozen hardened criminals who were in the station at the time? Anyone of them might have killed that poor woman."

Preston asks, "Nearly all of those bad guys were locked up, and even if they weren't, how did they happen to have the murder weapon with them?"

Lt. Parker from Narcotics replies, "I don't know about the stiletto, but I do know of one definite crook who has the cohones to try something this bold. We pulled in Lou Marks for questioning in the beating of a couple of low life drug dealers who were trying to squeeze into his territory. The beatings had all the style of Lou and his gang, so we sweated him for a couple of hours until his lawyer showed up. Lou was mad as hell at the way we treated him and said he was going up to I.A. to file a complaint. I saw him get on the elevator shortly before noon."

Preston remarks, "He never got as far as my office."

Will says, "I questioned The Bear about what he saw and heard. Three fourths of the third floor is the evidence room and the elevator opens right in front of the cage door that separates that room from the corridor. Bear says Lou Marks got off of the elevator and they exchanged a few simple words of greeting. He said Marks was agitated at first, but quickly calmed down. He explained he had been thinking of filing a complaint with internal affairs over harassment, but changed his mind saying it was too penny ante of a move for him. They talked for a few minutes more and Lou said he was leaving."

Gordon asks, "Did The Bear actually see Lou Marks leave?"

"No, he had to take a phone call and didn't see which way Lou left the third floor. It's possible he went by way of the back stairs, but why would he kill some reporter still wet behind the ears?"

"Why would anyone kill her?" Rakowski asks, genuinely concerned for the young victim but feeling guilty that he is wondering how this will affect his chances at re-election later this year. After all of the scandals that have rocked this community, he doesn't need one attached to his expanded sheriff's department.

Will answers, "We are still working on motive. She was a reporter so she could have been onto anything - my son says she was ambitious and constantly looking for chances to help along her career. Sgt. Williams is questioning her immediate boss and personal friend, Rebecca Askew the assistant city editor. Perhaps it would help if we knew why she was going up to the third floor? Other than the evidence room, the only two offices up there are SWAT and Internal Affairs."

Lt. Gordon replies, "My only contact with the woman were a few phone calls requesting an interview. I always referred her to the public relation's officer."

Preston says, "She was there to see me. I was getting the same phone calls that all of the senior officers were getting. Miss Price wanted a profile story on what it's like to transfer into a police depatment that has been so rocked by scandal and to be put in charge of internal affairs. I'm an old friend of the Herald's publisher and I admired the young woman's persistence. So, I said if she dropped by during my lunch break I would give her some unattributed background information. But, she never showed up."

Roebuck comments, "So that's three people who were coming to see you but never arrived: a hooker, a drug kingpin and a reporter. I had no idea your office was so busy."

Preston replies, "We get a steady flow of citizens who have complaints, but as an experienced cop, I know that ninety percent of them are bogus. Still, we have to go through the motions."

Will says, "From the position of the body and the fact that she was stabbed in the back, we suspect Miss Price was headed down stairs from the third floor. Since she never arrived at I.A., what caused her to change her mind and head back down?"

Rakowski says, "Maybe she got a call. Check her cell phone's records and subpeona her files at work. We can't count on the press being co-operative in that regard even if it is one of their own who got killed. Alright everyone, get back to work. Needless to say, this murder is our number one priority. Until it's solved, we are all going to be wearing egg on our faces in the media."

The assembled cops nod and begin to file out of the conference room. Rakowski stares at the murder weapon and experiences the same deja vu that others have felt. He knows he has seen this blade somewhere... Rakowski realizes one officer has lingered behind.

"Something to add, Lt. Preston?"

"Sheriff, I know internal affairs never takes part in on-going investigations, but I'm wondering if this might be the time for an exception?"

"Because a cop might be involved?"

"I know none of us want to face that possibility, but with the news vultures hanging over our shoulders, we can't risk even the hint of an impropriety. Did you know one of our own detectives was dating the victim?"

"I heard through the grapevine. Okay Lieutenant, I'll authorize you to monitor the investigation but no participation. If you have any concerns, bring them to me."

"Then I'll name one. Detective Carlisle should be off of this case..."

X X X X X

Carlisle escorts the upset man through the cold, dim halls of the city's morgue. He has done this on far too many occasions, and he has always hated this formality. They all know who the victim is, but the rules say a family member must make an offical identification. The only local relative that could be found through Pamela's emergency contact numbers is her cousin, Gavin Price.

"Pamela is my Uncle Henry's youngest child. This was her first time being far from home and my uncle asked me to watch over her. When Pamela arrived in Arcadia I showed her around, helped her find an apartment and a good used car. After that she was determined to handle all aspects of her life on her own. Recently we have just been talking on the phone or e-mailing about once a week." Gavin says, trying to distract himself from the grisly task ahead.

Carlisle understands but asks the routine questions. "Did she have any enemies, or had she complained of someone harassing her lately?"

"No, Pamela was well liked and definitely hadn't mentioned any problems. I know she had a very active social life, but I wasn't aware that she was serious with anyone."

"Did she often discuss her personal life?"

Gavin shrugs. "It wasn't a taboo subject, but it didn't dominate our conversations. For instance, I know she had dated you Detective, but Pamela wasn't the type to provide a lot of details."

"What about her work? Did she mention what she was working on?"

"A little, but there didn't seem a lot ot say about her work, which was pretty routine stuff. I know she was ambitious and wanted to move up from covering the day to day of the courthouse."

The pair pauses as they reach the cold storage facilities where bodies are kept. Gavin Price steels himself for the personal ordeal ahead. They enter the room and the county coroner is waiting for them - the body covered by a sheet is on an exam table. Carlisle nods to the coroner who draws back the sheet...

Gavin takes one long look, closes his eyes and sighs. "Yes, that's my cousin Pamela Price."

The coroner lowers the sheet. "I'm sorry for your loss, sir."

"Can you tell me...did she suffer?"

"No sir. She was stabbed in the heart and death occured almost instantly."

"Well, at least that's something. I'll have to call my uncle and aunt to tell them... Oh God, I so don't want to do this, but it can't be helped. They'll want to know, how soon can we have...the body."

Carlisle replies, "It depends on how the investigation goes. The sooner we can arrest the person who did this, the sooner the...remains can be sent to a funeral home."

"Thank you Detective, and I wish you good luck. I...feel ill."

The coroner, experienced at this, hastily rushes a stainless steel trash can over to Gavin Price...

X X X X X

Sgt. Toni Williams (formerly a lieutenant with the Arcadia police but now a sergeant in the reorganized sheriff's department) waits patiently for Rebecca Askew to finish gathering all of the paperwork that can be found in the victim's desk. The password protected computer will be going to the tech department.

"That's all of it, I think. Of course Pamela probably had some personal files at home."

"Her apartment is being searched by other detectives. Ms Askew, is it possible Pamela was working on something serious enough to get her killed?"

"Not officially. Pam was always pitching ideas for stories, and had written a few spec articles in her spare time. We even printed a couple of them. But no, there was nothing about what she usually wrote that could suggest any sort of risk to her life."

"She did spend a fair amount of time at the sheriff's station digging for stories."

"Human interest stories. Pam knew we have a regular crime reporter who is very territorial. She knew better than to step on a senior reporter's toes...I think."

"You think? Then she might have been looking into something criminal or violent?"

Rebecca shrugs. "Pam was ambitious and if she thought she had stumbled upon a really big story, the kind that can jump start a young reporter's career, then...maybe. She was a take-risk kind of person."

"You knew her well?"

"We knew each other from college journalism classes and working on the school paper. She showed a lot of promise right from the start, and a few months ago when she applied for a job here, I was glad to give her my recommendation."

"What about her social life? Is there any particular man we should be looking at?"

"Pam dated a lot, but as far as I know, she wasn't serious about any man...or woman."

"Oh...?"

Rebecca blushes. "Pam was enthusiastically bi-sexual."

"I see. And were the two of you...?"

"No. At least, not since our one time in college. A lot of co-eds were doing the once in a lifetime 'experiment'!"

Toni suppresses a smile as she remembers her own college days...

X X X X X

Will Girardi enters his home and is met by Helen with a smile, a kiss and a tumbler of scotch. Will gratefully accepts all three, and after a sip he asks... "You heard?"

"Yes, the police called to inform Price about his cousin's death. I figured a murder in the actual police station would be a stressful day for you."

"To put it mildly. Everyone is working hard but they are also looking at each other with suspicion. At the moment we can't figure how the killer got the murder weapon into the station, unless it was done by a cop - everyone else has to go through metal detectors."

"It would be impossible to believe if you hadn't arrested one of your own detectives for murder last year."

"And I'm sure the news media will be dredging that up along with the sensationalism of the crime."

"Well, time to put it aside for awhile. We have pot roast with cherry cobbler for dessert. Also...a guest for dinner."

"Adam again?"

Helen smiles. "The price you pay when your teenage daughter has a boyfriend. You don't mind, do you?"

"After the way Joan was moping around here for weeks and now she smiles most of the time? I never thought I could be so happy my little girl has a boyfriend."

"And Adam is such a nice boy. Ready to eat?"

"I'll join you as soon as I wash up."

They share another kiss and Helen goes to the kitchen while Will heads for the downstairs half-bath. Before getting there his cell phone rings... "Girardi."

Roy Roebuck says, "Will, we finally got that stiletto identified. Believe it or not our night janitor, uh..."

"Carl Rove."

"Right. Once a week he dusts that old display case in the front lobby. You know, the one with all of those old trophies from solved past crimes?"

"I remember. When I first became police chief I wanted to get rid of it because it takes up so much room, and it's kind of a grisly sight. It's all murder weapons from way back. I don't think there's an item in there that isn't over fifty years old... The stiletto?"

"Came from the case. It was used in a series of murders over a hundred years ago."

"Isn't that case locked? I know all of the guns were rendered useless, but still..."

"The case is always locked except when it is being cleaned. That brings us back to our janitor. Rove dusted the display last week and reported the old lock had finally rusted through. A new one was ordered and arrived today. Rove went to put the lock on at the start of his shift and noticed the stiletto was missing."

"So that explains how the murder weapon got into the building - it was already there. And since that case is in the open and unguarded, anyone in the station, including visitors, could have got their hands on it."

"Which greatly expands our number of possible suspects, but at least everyone here can stop looking at each other with doubts."

Will breathes a sigh of relief. "I'm glad of that, but it's going to be another blackeye for the department when the media gets wind of where the murder weapon came from. Any usable fingerprints?"

"Unfortunately Rove wiped the case clean before he noticed the stiletto was missing. The only prints are his."

"And I know that the display case, like most of the building, doesn't have security monitors to record what happens. I guess that's one thing we will have to correct down the line."

"Sheriff Rakowski has already sent a proposal for more cameras to the county council. I guess as cops we just never thought something like this could happen on our own turf. Okay, I just wanted to get you updated. See you tomorrow, Will."

As Roebuck disconnects a thought occurs to Will. That case is always presumed locked. Would the killer have just randomly checked to see if it wasn't? No...someone knew. Adam's father knew.

To Be Continued.

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	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

4-13-04, Tuesday.

Will Girardi looks at the murder board and shakes his head with unhappiness over their lack of progress. The small team of detectives he has assembled are standing by ready to give their reports, but Will can tell by their expressions, no one is prepared to make a 'smoking gun' revealation.

"Okay, we have a 'murder of opportunity' here in our own station. Someone took advantage of an available knife and the presence of the intended victim to commit a very risky crime. We are going to catch that killer no matter what, and not just because this case makes us look bad. We owe it to Pamela Price and her family to obtain justice. Reggie, you start us off."

The head of CSU clears his throat and reads from a surprisingly thin file folder. "Autopsy report is complete, and as we expected the obvious cause of death was a knife blow through the back, between the ribs, penetrating the heart. Core temperature and lack of rigor suggests the crime occurred within twenty minutes of the body being discovered. The killer left no fingerprints or discernible DNA. We confirmed the victim's shoes were switched with the young woman who found the body, but there are no traces of this Bertha Malloy having committed the crime, although we cannot rule her out completely. Our killer was either very lucky or had expert knowledge of how to slip a thin knife between the ribs to hit the heart."

"Toni?"

"The computer techs managed to gain access to Miss Price's files on her work and personal computers. The work computer contains her mostly routine reports of daily court activities, a couple of stories in progress – one on what it's like to be a public defender and another on the role of the bail bondsman in our justice system. Neither story was assigned and neither seems to have anything sensational in them. There was also a long list of ideas for stories to pitch, and those were of a more interesting nature. Miss Price fancied herself something of a crusader against crime and corruption, if given the chance. There were story ideas about corruption in the sanitation department, bribery in the school system that got student athletes guaranteed A's, the worsening drug problem in Arcadia, a series of unsolved gang shootings…"

Will says, "I'm not aware of any series of unsolved gang murders."

"These were some shootings scattered over the last few years that resulted in fairly minor injuries. They were low priority and most are unsolved. It's a good example of the kind of story ideas Miss Price had, which were mostly based on a lot of suspicion and almost no facts to back them up. She seemed to see conspiracy and corruption in everything, regardless whether it was there or not."

"And what about her personal computer?"

"There it gets more interesting. Miss Price 'dated' a lot. She kept a sex journal that gave detailed ratings on lovers covering everything from quality of kisses to quality of orgasm. She dated men and women with about a sixty/forty split, and quite frankly she considered herself irresistible to both sexes. She also maintained a long list of people she intended to seduce when she got around to it. She seemed especially attracted to cops and had on her 'to-do' list Lt. Gordon, Lt. Preston and…Captain Will Girardi."

"Me? I never met her."

"But she was aware of you because of your prominence in bringing down the city government. Apparently she had no problem with seducing married men, or women."

"Did Miss Price express any concerns about angry exes or their spouses?"

"Never seemed to occur to her, and there were quite a few married folk on her sex journal list. That list seemed to focus on potential sources of information for her career including politicians, judges, other journalists, fire department investigators, criminals…"

"Criminals?"

"At least three guys from different gangs, including Liam Fritz, who is Lou Marks' top lieutenant."

"Fritz must be twice her age and married. Lou Marks was on the third floor shortly before Miss Price was murdered, and if Lou was worried his man might have slipped up during a little pillow talk, that would be motive for him to kill a nosy reporter. Question is, did Pamela Price use sex to gain information?" Will asks while looking directly at Carlisle.

Carlisle sighs and nods his head. "In case everyone hasn't heard, Pam and I dated a couple of times, by which I mean sex. Both times our post coital cuddling consisted of her asking me about what it's like to be a detective and what I was currently working on. I figured at the time that she might be using me as a source, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt because, well…she was as irresistible as she thought she was."

Will asks, "Did she want to know anything outside of the ordinary?"

"Uh...she was interested in how long cases stay active when we run out of leads and how we decided which cases we have to drop. Now that I look back, I see that Pam was just using me. I suppose she never really cared for me at all."

Toni suppresses a smirk and says, "On the other hand she gave you high marks as a lover. Smiley faces for 'size' as well as endurance and repetition. Only one frowny face for unwillingness to go kinky."

Carlisle blushes as the others in the room chuckle. Toni adds, "One additional name from the sex journal we might want to look at: Barry Caldwell. I know he's in a wheelchair…"

Will frowns. "The Bear is an ex-cop who knows this building like the back of his hand, including what could be found in that old display case, and he was up on the third floor at the time of the murder. I suppose it's possible he could have stabbed the victim at the top of the stairs and her body slid part way to the second floor. We will have to add his name to an alarmingly long list of potential suspects."

X X X X X

"Good morning Carl, sorry to have held you over after the end of your shift."

"That's okay, Will. I know the routine is to have several detectives go over testimony to look for any missed details."

Will nods while considering how odd it is that he has struck up a casual friendship with the building's night janitor. When he first began as police chief, Will was only vaguely aware of Carl Rove's existence. After Joan began hanging out with an odd but seemingly nice boy named Adam Rove, Will felt the need to get to know Adam's father. It turned out Will liked Carl, with his rough as a cob exterior but regular nice guy ways, and it was reassuring to know Adam's life was being guided by such a man. The bonus was that when the two of them began to talk on a semi-regular basis, Carl vouched for Will with a friend in the fire department who was also the ex-brother-in-law of Roy Roebuck, which eventually led to the arrest of the city's fire chief for arson.

Carl adds, "I know Adam has been hanging at your house a lot lately. I hope he isn't making a pest of himself."

"Not at all. You've raised a very polite, well behaved son and frankly, his being in Joan's life has made her a lot happier."

Carl smiles. "Not as happy as it has made Adam. To be equally honest, I was concerned for Adam before he met Joan. My son never got over the death of his mother and was experiencing frequent bouts of depression. Until Joan came along Adam seemed to have given up on everything but his art. There's nothing like a girlfriend to perk up a 16 year old boy's interest in life."

"I remember what that's like. I did have one concern...it seems Adam went from one girlfriend to another in the blink of an eye?"

"Yeah, poor Iris. I know she was much more invested in their relationship than Adam ever was. When he and Joan were going through their 'just be friends' stage, I think Adam started dating Iris just to make Joan jealous. But then he discovered how nice it is to have a regular girlfriend and the relationship became more real than he ever intended. Iris is a nice girl and I think Adam tried hard to convince himself that he had feelings for her, but in the end he had to admit it is only Joan that he cares for. I'm absolutely sure you don't have to worry that Adam would ever treat Joan like that."

"I believe you. I've seen how Adam looks at Joan, and I've never seen such total devotion in the eyes of a kid that age. I just hope they're...taking it slow?"

"Adam is a shy kid who is really devoted to Joan. I'm sure he won't pressure her."

Will breathes a sigh of relief and clears his throat. "Now, about that display case..."

"I've been over this twice already, so let me save you a little time. I've been dusting that case inside and out on a weekly basis for years. It has to be at least a century old, and I've been reporting the deteriorating condition of the lock for all of that time. Last week the old lock just crumbled into pieces due to rust and age. I ordered a replacement through the county's general services office and it was waiting on my desk when I got to work last evening."

"Who else did you tell about the broken lock?"

"The desk sergeant - he said he would keep an eye on it. And before you ask, there were several others standing around, all of them cops. Of course anyone who went over and carefully looked at the display would be able to see the lock was broken."

"How did you know to report about the stolen stiletto?"

"It was all anyone was talking about when I came into work, but even if no one had said anything, I still would have reported it missing. Not a lot of people look at those old souvenirs from past criminal cases, but I know every item by heart."

"Well, thank you for your time Carl. I appreciate you staying over to talk to me."

"I'm just sorry I wasn't more of a help."

"This is one of those cases where there won't be an easy break. At least we now know where the stiletto came from, even if it doesn't lower our potential list of suspects." (They stand and shake hands.) "Hey, I plan to barbeque this weekend. Why don't you and Adam join us?"

"I look forward to it."

X X X X X

Lt. Lucy Preston looks at the personnel file of Sgt. Toni Williams on her computer as their interview is proceeding. As head of Internal Affairs she is one of the few who can access that information. Lucy acknowledges it is an impressive record and wonders if Sgt. Williams bears any resentment due to her demotion in the reshuffled sheriff's department...

"Didn't you have any concern when Miss Price failed to show up for your interview?" Toni asks.

"No, it was a casual meeting that was only going to have unattributed background information. I had almost forgotten about it until I heard that hooker scream on the stairwell."

"Did you hear or see anything prior to the scream? Were you aware of anyone in the hall?"

"I had the door closed, and I didn't hear anyone moving about. It's usually pretty quiet up here on the third floor except when George and his SWAT boys are active. They keep a lot of their gear stored up here and they frequently plan training outings. Of course the bomb squad also reports to Lt. Gordon and he co-ordinates all of the mandates from Homeland Security. Add to that all of the traffic from cops checking in and out evidence from the property room..."

"Quiet becomes a relative term. Were all of your contacts with Miss Price by phone?"

"No, we crossed paths a couple of times in singles bars, but I didn't know at that time she was a reporter."

"In these bar settings...did she flirt with you?"

"Not at first, but when she found out I was a cop, she came on strong."

"And...?"

Lucy firmly shakes her head 'No'. "Not my cup of tea. Not that this 'Pam' person would believe it. She just kept on flirting like she could eventually wear me down. I admired her determination and confidence, but that was all."

"The murder weapon came from the large display case in the front lobby. Were you familiar with it?"

"I glanced at the thing the first day I was here. I thought it a bit ghoulish, and I've never so much as touched it."

"Lieutenant, is there anything you can add, anything that Miss Price said that was out of the ordinary?"

Lucy pauses a moment before shaking her head. "It was the same sort of stuff all reporters want to know when they hear you are from I.A.: what percentage of cops are on the take, is police brutality under reported, do we ever look the other way when a cop breaks the rules because we agree with his actions, and so on. Pamela Price might have thought of herself as a rising star in journalism, but in my opinion she was as original as turkey on Thanksgiving."

X X X X X

"You wanted to see me Chief...I mean, Captain?"

"Yes Bear, thanks for the time."

Barry Caldwell rolls into Will's office and manages to close the door with a little difficulty. It is a tight squeeze in the small space for a man in a wheelchair. Will, experienced with Kevin, resists the urge to needlessly help.

"So what's up, Will? I've gone over my statement several times. I was alone in the property room because my deputy had gone to lunch. I talked with Lou Marks but didn't see when or how he left because I had to answer the phone. I didn't see or hear anything else until the scream. Going to see what happened was the first time I've ever left the property room unattended, and even that was for no more than a minute. What else is there to say?"

"Your failure to mention that you had a personal relationship with the victim."

"Oh, you know about that?"

"The young woman kept a detailed sex journal. Your name appears. Bear, how could you look upon the body of a woman you were intimate with and then just leave without a word?"

"I didn't know it was Pam on those stairs. She was face down, remember? My main concern, after satisfying my curiosity, was to get back to my post. Later, when I heard who the victim was, I was appalled, but I didn't say anything because I was embarassed."

"Embarassed?"

"A lot of people are really uncomfortable with the thought of someone like me having sex. Many are...disgusted by those mental images. Besides, it wasn't as if Pam and I were in a relationship. We had a one night stand at my place and I never saw her again until...yesterday. Our one night wasn't something I was proud of because I realized she was only with me as a checkmark on her list of sexual experiences: 'Do it with a gimp'. The only time she expressed even the tiniest interest in me as a person was when she found out where I worked."

"She questioned you about the property room?"

"Yeah, a lot of people find what I do interesting, but I didn't know Pam was reporter at the time."

"What did she want to know?"

"The usual stuff. Do we store vast quantities of drugs and weapons, what happens to the cash, jewels and other valuables after investigations are over, was I ever tempted...? I explained that all property clerks have their finances regularly investigated and we are subject to polygraph tests every three months."

"Any questions outside of the ordinary?"

"Well, she did want to know how long we hold onto evidence after a case is closed or the investigation suspended. I told her the usual five years before it is sent to warehouse storage and is considered outside the chain of evidence. She seemed surprisingly interested in that. Will, I'm sorry I wasn't more forthcoming, especially after I heard who it was who was killed. I really didn't think it would matter...unless you consider me a suspect?"

"Not normally, but you have complicated matters. Some people might think you resented the way Miss Price used you and that could be a motive for revenge. They might also think you would assume you would never be suspected because you are in a wheelchair. But I've seen you on the basketball court and I know you ski Aspen every year. You're athletic and strong - physically capable of the crime."

The Bear stares at Will aghast. "Oh come on..."

Will smiles. "Let that be a lesson for you. Never withold evidence."

Bear breathes a sigh of relief but then asks, "So, why are you so sure I'm not guilty?"

"The stiletto was on the top shelf of the display case. It wouldn't have been impossible for you to get, but you couldn't have done it without drawing a lot of attention to yourself. But I would urge you to do an inventory check on the contents of the property room. That one minute you were gone could be a motive for the crime."

X X X X X

Sgt. Williams feels oddly embarassed to be questioning Lt. George Gordon, a man she has known and liked for years. Gordon is bald and medium height, but he has a powerful physique and an even stronger command presence. Gordon's fairly small department handles the most dangerous cases and are in the most constant state of training as they may be called upon to handle anything from a domestic situation gone bad to a terrorist attack.

"So you never met Miss Price?"

"No, but after seeing her picture I realized she has been in the crowds when SWAT has been called into the field. Some people are thrill junkies that follow us around like groupies, but now that I know she was a reporter, that explains her presence."

"How many times did you speak to her on the phone?"

"Three or four times, but I always told her to call the public relations officer. I'm not inclined to give interviews, and with all of the restrictions Homeland Security keeps adding, it may soon be impossible for me to publicly discuss our work."

"Was Miss Price asking about any specific details, anything out of the ordinary?"

"The routine questions: what kind of person goes into bomb disposal, what's it like for a sniper to shoot someone who isn't even aware they are targeted, does the modern police force call on SWAT too often, blah blah blah."

"Did you see or hear anything prior to the body's discovery?"

"I was at my desk, door closed, reviewing another pile of security directives from the feds. I probably wouldn't have noticed an elephant in the hallway..." (The phone rings. Gordon answers and exchanges a few words before turning back to Toni.) "My wife. Are we done?"

"Yes, Lieutenant." Toni responds as she exits the office. She chooses not to return to the second floor by way of the back stairs.

X X X X X

Will and Det. Carlisle are admitted into the luxurious condo by an actual, honest-to-God butler with an English accent. The condo overlooks the river and occupies the entire top floor of the building. It is one of the most expensive homes in Arcadia, easily valued at twenty times the price of Will's house, and it galls him that he had to come to this 'mansion in the sky' to interview a couple of drug dealers. Who says crime doesn't pay?

"Captain Girardi and Detective Carlisle." the butler says before making a small bow and quietly withdrawing.

Will stares at the four people waiting for them. Lou Marks, heir to a criminal empire and the biggest drug dealer in the area, stands beside his top lieutenant, Liam Fritz. Their thousand dollar an hour lawyer James Kutch, well known to the cops in Arcadia, is seated off to the side. An unknown woman of middle age is on the sofa, a silver tea service before her. The arrogant...were they really going to offer them tea?

The lawyer speaks first, "Captain, you realize my clients are under no obligation to answer your questions? They have agreed to speak to you in a spirit of co-operation, and against my professional advice."

Will grits his teeth before replying, "And we appreciate it. We only wanted to speak to Mr. Marks and Mr. Fritz. This lady...?"

"I'm Margaret Fritz, and I understand you are here to talk to my husband about his extra-marital relations. Tea, gentlemen?"

Carlsile automatically takes a cup of tea along with several rather delicious looking pastries. Will shakes his head 'no'.

"Mr. Fritz, perhaps it would be best if your wife wasn't here for our discussion?"

"Maggie and I are keeping no secrets. It's a part of our couples' therapy."

Lou comments, "Fritzy, maybe it should just be you, me and the Captain."

Margaret Fritz acts on the comment. "Detective Carlisle, James, perhaps we can enjoy our tea on the balcony?"

After a nod from Will, Carlisle follows Mrs. Fritz and the lawyer out to the balcony. Once they are gone, Lou Marks asks, "Okay, can we talk to each other like adults?"

Will realizes with just his word against these two, nothing that is said can be used as evidence. "Fine by me. Mr. Fritz, were you having an affair with a local reporter named Pamela Price?"

"I think 'affair' is a bit of a stretch. We hooked up a few times."

"And was she interested in the details of your life as a drug dealer?"

"She was interested in all aspects of the drug trade in Arcadia, including which cops were on the take and which ones didn't mind breaking the rules to take down a bad guy." Fritz replies with a grin.

"Did you know she was a reporter?"

"Of course, and I wasn't going to tell her anything incriminating, but it was worth putting up with her stupid questions because she was a totally hot piece of ass."

"And you, Lou, were you aware of this clandestine relationship?"

"Yeah, I knew, and it wasn't as 'clandestine' as you think. Until recently Fritzy has been sleeping with lots of different women and I always trusted that he knows how to keep his mouth shut. So don't even think I offed that reporter because I thought she knew too much."

Fritz adds, "Yeah, besides, if I ever did talk, I'd be the one with a knife in me."

"So Miss Price kept coming back to your bed because she found you so fascinating, even though she was getting no information from you?"

"Well...I didn't feel obligated to keep the secrets of our competitors. We keep a pretty close tab on the other gangs and I might have shared a few bits of that kind of information. Nothing specific enough to get the girl killed!"

"Hmm, and how did your wife feel about this relationship?"

"Don't go there, Girardi. Maggie isn't the type to seek revenge, especially since Pam was just the last of a long chain of mistakes on my part. After I broke it off with Pam about a month ago, my wife and I decided to try therapy to see if we could save our marriage."

Lou adds, "You see Captain, our lives are not that much different from yours, despite the source of our incomes. We struggle with our marriages, we worry about our children - my boy Teddy attends Arcadia High along with your kids, and I worry about his low grades. We don't end messy affairs by killing someone. And...even if we did, we wouldn't be stupid enough to do it in a police station!"

Will sighs. As much as he would like to pin this crime on either of these men, he knows what they are saying makes sense. "Is there anything you told Miss Price that sticks out in your mind? Anything that seemed to spark an especial interest in her?"

Liam Fritz pauses. "She was kinda interested in the sniper."

"Sniper? What sniper?"

Lou Marks chuckles. "A minor annoyance that has been plaguing our competition for the last few years. We haven't experienced the same fate because our 'business model' is different from the other gangs."

"Because you guys only sell weed and pills while leaving the heavier stuff like heroin, crack and meth to the other gangs?"

Lou nods. "We accept a lower level of profit to maintain a reasonable level of peacefulness. Our people don't involve themselves in drive-bys and random murders, and that seems to have spared us from the attentions of the sniper."

"Again, what sniper?"

Lou shakes his head, clearly amused. "You really don't know, do you? For three or four years now a sniper, armed with a silenced .22 caliber rifle, has been shooting drug dealers - but only the worse of the worst. No one has been killed, the 'victims' have only been left with painful wounds and scars, and everyone has been chalking it up to the work of some vigilante nutjob."

"How can I not have heard about this?"

Lou shrugs. "Random attacks spread out over many months, no one gang being targeted more than any other, and frankly, how much do you cops care if an occasinal drug dealer gets a small wound? People on the street have it figured out, and a lot of them are cheering on whoever this vigilante is. Since my gang hasn't been targeted, I've been letting it go."

"And it didn't occur to you that this 'vigilante' might have killed Pamela Price?"

Fritz replies, "No way. This sniper guy may be crazy, but he's totally non-lethal. Besides, how could he have stabbed Pam in a police station? Much easier to shoot her from a distance."

Before Will can reply the group from the balcony returns - Carlisle is dusting pastry crumbs from his jacket.

Mrs. Fritz says, "Liam, please remember we have an appointment."

"With you in a minute, honey."

The lawyer says, "I believe you have wasted enough of my clients' valuable time."

Will nods and thanks the group for their time. He and Carlsile exit the condo, the front door being held open by the butler. A they wait for the elevator, Will asks...

"Anything?"

"The affair ended when Pam convinced Liam Fritz to ask his wife if she were interested in a three way. That led to a huge fight and Mrs. Fritz told her husband to change his ways or their marriage was over. They went into couples' therapy the next day."

"Sorry to say it Carlisle, but your Pam appears to have been quite a piece of work."

"Yeah, it turns out I didn't really know her at all. Now that I know more, I'm only surprised someone hadn't tried to kill her earlier."

X X X X X

"Something smells good."

"Just my usual sauce - we're having linguine tonight." Helen says after sharing a kiss with Will.

"And is it just family tonight?"

"No, Adam is here again and I've invited Grace too. Their study group is preparing for a big test in AP Chem."

"Lucky us, we get to feed them."

"On the plus side Luke is with Glynis and Friedman studying for the same test. They are having dinner at Glynis' place, and I'm told Mrs. Figliola makes a 'killer' meat loaf. Also, Kev is out with Rebecca."

"Is that starting up again?"

"No, I think Kevin is just trying to be supportive because Rebecca has been so upset over the death of her friend. Mr. Price at school has also been taking it hard. He blames himself for not keeping a closer eye on his young cousin. Any progress?"

"Some, but the case is taking an unusual turn."

Helen runs her fingers through Will's hair. "I can see this is going to be one of 'those' cases. Tonight, when we are alone, I will do all that I can to ease your stress."

Will smiles. In his early days as a cop, before he became hardened to the horrors he must see, Helen would 'comfort' him by increasing the frequency of their sex life. Although Will no longer needs such comforting, he isn't foolish enough to mention that to his wife.

Helen adds, "In the meantime, the kids are studying in the den. Make sure Adam feels welcomed."

"Isn't it enough that we feed him most nights?"

"Joan has a boyfriend now, and she will want to spend as much time as possible with him - including meals. Now Joan could be eating at Adam's place, but with Carl working nights, that means our daughter would be alone with a 16 year old boy..."

"I get it. I'll go give Adam a very friendly 'hello'."

Will goes to the den, gives a discreet cough and enters. The three sophomores are hard at work and Will pauses to consider their group dynamic. As individuals you wouldn't expect much from them in terms of academics, but as a group they do surprisingly well. Joan notices her father's arrival...

"Hey dad, we're starving. When's dinner?"

"Looks to be about another ten minutes. Grace, Adam - I hear we have the pleasure of your company tonight?"

"Thanks for having me, Mr. Girardi." Grace says, secretly grateful for any opportunity to miss another of her mother's intoxicated dinners.

"Yeah, thanks Chief Girardi." Adam adds.

Joan lightly scolds, "Adam, I keep telling you Dad isn't 'Chief' anymore. He's now Captain Girardi."

"Oh right. I hope I'm not being a bother...Captain. Dad says to make sure I'm not over staying my welcome."

"Trust me Adam, you're not. You are always welcomed here."

Joan is grateful for her father's word and notes, "Dad, you look exhausted. A hard day - the Price case?"

"Yes Joan, but I'm not allowed to discuss the details. It's proving to be a lot of hard work with few results."

Joan pauses before replying, "Sometimes it helps to gain perspective if you go back to the begining and examine your assumptions."

Will grins, "Why thank you for the advice, 'Detective Joan'. I'll call you guys when dinner is ready."

Will exits and Joan wonders why she felt the need to share that bit of advice. A few days ago she asked Old Lady God if she was on the right path with having Adam as her boyfriend. Of course she got the free will lecture again, but also the surprising advice to review her entire relationship with Adam, especially all of the assumptions she had made. Joan followed the advice and was surprised by how many things she had gotten wrong about Adam in the months she had known him. This made her more appreciative of the boyfriend she is getting to know better each day.

In the dining room Will is busy setting out the plates and silverware, but for some reason Joan's words are echoing in his head: 'Examine your assumptions'.

To Be Continued. Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

4-15-04, Wednesday

Undersheriff Roy Roebuck looks at the assembled group of detectives who are working on the Pamela Price murder case and notes the presence of a couple of visitors…

"Okay, does anyone know why Will couldn't be here for the morning briefing?"

Sgt. Williams responds, "Will had to make an appearance at the courthouse."

Toni knows that her deliberately vague answer won't be challenged as testifying in court is an unassailable excuse for missing work. She also knows that Will isn't testifying. He is getting search warrants from Judge Donald Baker and doesn't want that information spread around.

Roebuck says, "Then before we review progress on the case, Lieutenants Preston and Gordon, why are you here?"

George Gordon replies, "We want to know how the case is proceeding, if there is an arrest coming up anytime soon. Frankly Roy, Lucy and I are getting fed up with the way everyone in this building keeps looking at us."

"What do you mean?"

"Since The Bear, Lucy and I were the only ones who were for certain on the third floor at the time of the murder, we three are being given the scarlet letter treatment. My own men are looking at me with doubt in their eyes!"

Lucy Preston adds, "And since Miss Price was on her way to see me, I am especially being given looks of suspicion."

(Carlisle whispers to Toni, "Now she knows how she makes us feel.")

Lucy hears the comment but ignores it as she continues, "As for The Bear, a decorated former officer, he has taken a leave of absence until this matter is resolved."

Gordon says, "And all of this is made on an assumption that Miss Price was on her way downstairs when she was killed. Sure, her body was found in that position, but I've watched a lot of people die over the years, and their bodies don't always drop in a pre-determined pattern. Plenty of times, in the last second of life, the body will spasm, twist, and turn in all sorts of unexpected ways."

Freddie, from the Crime Scene Unit, retorts, "We all know that, and if you had bothered to read my report, you would see I only said that it was most likely the young woman was going downstairs when she was killed. I didn't guarantee that is how it happened."

Gordon says, "Yeah, but that detail is being overlooked by the rank and file."

Roebuck says, "Okay, I get what the two of you are saying, but what do you expect me to do? Can I order the people you work with not to be suspicious? Lt. Preston, you yourself pointed out that it was very possible that a cop committed this crime. Until we can prove otherwise, the two of you will just have to endure."

Lucy asks, "Then can we at least know if this detective team is even close to an arrest?"

Roebuck replies, "Normally you wouldn't be allowed to know the progress of an investigation that you are not connected to, but under the circumstances I will allow you to remain in this briefing. Sgt. Williams, status report."

"We have spent an enormous amount of time tracking down and questioning Miss Price's impressively long list of lovers, and most have solid alibis. Our own security footage of who went in and out of the building verifies none of her various lovers were at the station at the time of the crime. We even used facial recognition software to make sure none of them came in disguised as cops. They are all in the clear."

"With one glaring exception." Lucy says while staring at Carlisle.

He responds, "Two. The Bear was also in her sex journal."

"But he isn't working the murder case."

Carlisle hotly retorts, "If anyone wants me off of this team…"

Roebuck says, "Easy Detective, let's not get out of hand. Will Girardi runs the detective bureau, and I trust his judgment. Only he will decide whether or not you should be on this assignment. Sergeant, is there anything good to report?"

Toni replies with a sigh, "Sorry, no. We have been through Miss Price's phone records and finances, we have talked to her family, neighbors, co-workers and friends without anything to show for it. Pamela Price, with the exception of her thrill seeking sex life, led a remarkably dull existence. Nothing in her work indicates a source of danger, and everyone – including ex-lovers, liked the young woman."

Roebuck grumbles, "This is beginning to sound like a dead end investigation. That is not acceptable. Go back over everything, don't hesitate to be creative. At this point, no idea is too weak to follow up on, including the possibility of someone being hired to kill the victim. If this crime goes unsolved, we may never regain the public's trust. So get back to work, and I expect a better report tomorrow."

The detective team files out of Roebuck's office but the two lieutenants remain behind.

Gordon says, "Roy, if this crime goes unsolved, the three of us from the third floor will always carry the stain of suspicion. How can we function like that?"

Preston adds, "That's especially true for my position. Internal Affairs has to be beyond reproach."

"I hear what the two of you are saying, but again, what can I do? I can't order doubt out of existence. If you feel you can no longer effectively do your jobs, I can arrange temporary transfers to county duty until this blows over."

Gordon says, "Retreat? Have our careers damaged because of beetle brained thinking? Never!"

Preston nods, "I agree. I didn't make the move from New Orleans just to have my career snagged by a bunch of cops who are acting like gossipy housewives!"

"Then we are done here. As I said, you will just have to endure."

Roy turns to the paperwork on his desk and the two lieutenants recognize their dismissal. They exit together and head for the front stairs, acutely aware that eyes follow them wherever they go. Once they are back on the third floor, they breathe a sigh of relief. At least in their own domain they feel reasonably safe from accusing stares. Gordon follows Lucy into her office and watches as she switches on her computer...

"Busy day?" Gordon asks.

"Routine. You?"

"I scaled everything back for the moment. I'm really fed up with my own guys having those guilty looks of doubt they try to hide from me."

"So...we have extra time on our hands. Are you suggesting we start our own investigation? That would be against the rules."

Gordon grins. "And of course you would never bend the rules."

Lucy smiles back. "We would need a starting point - something the other detectives haven't considered."

"Such as, why was Pamela Price really coming to see you?"

Lucy glares at Gordon. "You too? I keep getting these thinly veiled hints that there was something more between me and the Price girl than was really there. Yes, she flirted with me in bars a couple of times. Yes, I was on her 'seduction' list, but there was nothing between us! She really was coming here to get background information for some spec story she was considering. Maybe she would have flirted with me a bit more, but it wasn't going to do her any good."

"And you weren't flattered by all of that attention?"

"Well...maybe, a little. She was young and pretty and I never had another woman pursue me like that before. But honestly George, there was nothing between us, and there wasn't going to be."

Gordon sighs. "So much for having a fresh starting point. I guess I'll go back to my office and think. There must be some angle the others haven't thought of."

"If you come up with anything, let me know." Lucy calls after Gordon as he exits. Hmph, you would think George would know she was totally straight after all of the times she had flirted with him. Why does every cop have to be so loyal to his wife...?

X X X X X

"Helen, may I have a word in private?" Gavin Price asks.

Helen steps into the vice-principal's small office and wonders what Joan has been up to now.

Price hesitates before speaking. "Helen, I wonder if you can do me a small favor?"

"If I can."

"I've been trying to contact your husband to get a progress report on my cousin's murder case. So far, he's been ducking my calls."

"Oh...that's pretty normal in a case like this. The police usually don't discuss details of an on-going investigation with anyone, including family members. Will sometimes makes an exception, he always likes to consider the feelings of the victim's families, but for the most part he follows the rules."

"I can understand that, but my aunt and uncle have been pressuring me for details, especially for when they can get the body back for a decent burial."

"I understand, and I think that is something Will can help with. From the few details I know, the physical evidence is well established. I'm sure something can be arranged."

"Thank you Helen, that will be a relief to my family. Now if only the...sordid details of my cousin's life don't come out."

"Then you knew...?"

"That Pamela had a wild, private life? Oh yes, but thankfully her parents were unaware of Pam's excessive indulgences. She was honest with me and that's why I've been feeling so guilty. I had a stong hunch that the way she lived her life was going to end up hurting my cousin, but I never suspected it would go this far. Still, I feel I should have said something to discourage her, but at 22, Pam felt she was immortal. You couldn't convince her she was headed for a fall."

"You shouldn't blame yourself. Your cousin's lifestyle was her responsibility, and besides, we can't be sure that had anything to do with what caused...her murder. Give it a little more time. I sure Will is going to crack this case any time soon."

X X X X X

Lt. Wade Parker looks up from his desk as he hears the perfunctory knock before Captain Will Girardi enters and closes the door. The serious look on Will's face tells him this isn't a friendly call. Parker waves Will into the chair in front of his desk.

"Will, you've been away from the station most of the day. I hear you were at the courthouse testifying?"

"Actually I was getting warrants to search phone records and properties."

"The Price murder case?"

"Yes. Parker, did Pamela Price ever contact you?"

"Several times, just as she did all of the senior officers on the force. As the head of Narcotics, she was particularly eager to get an interview with me."

"Did she discuss the nature of that proposed interview?"

"Okay Will, you've obviously got something on your mind. Spill it."

"In your position you gather more information about the city's drug dealers and gang members than any other man on the force. Every shred of intel that comes into us eventually crosses your desk."

Parker nods. "I know everything from their latest tattoos to their favorite brand of shoes. You never know what detail might help in nailing one of those s.o.b.'s."

"I've been doing some research and have verified what I was told yesterday. Over the last four years there have been eleven sniper attacks on various gang members in this city - all of them were notoriously mean, violent men with long criminal histories."

Parker smiles. "Do tell."

"Are you going to deny you knew about this sniper?"

"I seem to recall an unsolved shooting or two. You say it was eleven? Huh, how could I have missed a pattern like that?"

"And Miss Price didn't want to interview you about a sniper who was wounding drug dealers with only a .22?"

"I never got into details with Miss Price about the subject of her interview. All requests were forwarded to the public relations officer."

"So you're going to stonewall me, Parker?"

"If you are planning to make an accusation that might ruin my career, then yes. What do you want from me, Captain? Do you want me to admit that I long ago noticed a pattern that could only be some vigilante who was getting a little street justice from the scum who terrorize their neighborhoods and destroy innocent lives? Do you think I would admit to admiring such a person? That as long as no innocent people were getting hurt, I would be willing to look the other way? Well, of course I deny noticing such a pattern and so would anyone else who works the drug wars. So maybe some nut, probably with a comic book fetish, fancies himself a champion of justice. If such a person exists, then he's giving back to those low life criminals a taste of the fear they daily dish out."

"And where would you draw the line in looking the other way...the murder of a young reporter who did notice the pattern?"

"Wait, are you accusing me of killing the Price girl?"

"Figure it out, Lieutenant. This sniper, whoever it is, has accurate, detailed knowledge of the various drug dealers in this city. He's never made a mistake, never shot the wrong person and the ones he has shot are the worse this city has to offer. Only someone with an intimate familiarity with the town's drug culture could do that."

"Now hold on, Captain. I might have looked the other way, but I'd never take the law into my own hands like that - I have too much to lose. I've got three kids and a wife who depend on me, and I would never jepordize their future. That's why, before you brought down the old system, I was never one of those cops who took bribes or did favors. Besides, as much as I hate drug dealers, I know what it would be like for a cop in prison. You need to look elsewhere."

Will nods. "I know. There's one other cop who has all of the inside information that you do, and one much better equipped to be our 'vigilante'."

A look of dismay crosses Parker's face. "No...not him."

"I have the proof."

"Then why did you put me through this runaround?"

"Because I don't like cops who look the other way. I'm the head of the detective bureau Lieutenant, and it takes more than not taking bribes and doing favors to cut it on this job. An offical reprimand will appear in your file, and count yourself lucky I'm not bringing you up on charges."

Will exits the narcotics division office while a suitably subdued Wade Parker contemplates that his career is now permanently stalled.

X X X X X

There is no knock as Will, Sgt. Williams and Det. Carlisle enter Lt. George Gordon's office. With one glance the head of SWAT knows why they are here. Gordon sighs, slowly stands and allows Williams to confiscate his sidearm. Gordon sits back down and winces at the condemnation he sees in the faces of his fellow officers...

"I should have known I couldn't get away with it. You're too good of a detective, Will."

Will responds, "Before you say anything else George, you have the right to remain silent..."

"I know my rights, and I waive them. In fact, since I know you will want the details, I might as well write out my confession right now."

Gordon takes a sheet of paper and a pen, begins to write but then hesitates. "How did you find out?"

Will replies, "I got a wise piece of advice: to go back to the begining and examine my assumptions. The one flaw we all made was to assume this was not a pre-meditated murder. That Pamela Price's killing came as a risky crime of opportunity. After all, who would dare commit a planned murder in a police station? But when I considered that possibility, it changed the whole picture - it had to be a cop. Miss Price was an ambitious reporter and something of a thrill seeking sex addict. Those factors had to be the root cause of why someone would want to kill her. The only story she could have been working on that was dangerous enough to get her killed was this vigilante sniper, who again, had to be a cop."

Gordon asks, "Evidence?"

"I got warrants for the phones of all of those who worked on the third floor..."

"But..."

"Yes, I heard about your attempt to muddy the waters over whether she was going up or coming down the stairs at the time of her death. I don't buy it. C.S.U. says she was most likely going downstairs, which means the killer came at her from the third floor. The Bear might have been capable of killing Miss Price, but obviously he hasn't been sniping at drug dealers from rooftops. These shootings have been going on for four years, so that eliminates Lt. Preston, who has only been in town a few weeks. That leaves you, George - an expert sniper, and as the head of SWAT, you share all of the intel that comes in on drug dealers because your team backs up Narcotics on all major drug busts. Cell phone records confirm what you told Toni - Miss Price called you four times, but your records show a dozen calls back to her. Were the two of you having an affair?"

"She called it: 'having fun'. My God, how this 'fun' has cost me. Can you prove I'm the sniper?"

"You have a small cabin near the base of Mt. Nashman. We searched it and found the .22 caliber target rifle - complete with telescopic sight and silencer. Ballistics confirms it is the gun that was used in the eleven shootings."

Gordon sighs and resumes writing his confession. "It started over a month ago. Pam was digging into the drug scene in Arcadia and heard the rumors of a vigilante who was wounding drug dealers. I'm not sure how, but she gathered enough evidence to at least point a finger of suspicion toward me."

Toni asks, "George, how could a man like you turn vigilante?"

"How could I not? The first time was after Officer Burnett...you remember him, Toni?"

"Yeah, a good kid with a lot of potential. We all felt terrible about what happened to him."

"I was a sergeant then - his squad leader. We made a routine bust at a meth lab, everything went down by the numbers, but then one of the suspects made a break for it. Burnett tried to stop the bastard and got splashed in the face with a jar of caustic chemicals. Burnett was scarred for life and lost an eye. Eventually he left the force and draws a small pension. And the scum who hurt him, some lowlife named Altman, got off on a technicality!"

Toni nods. "I remember. We were all bitter about that."

"Oh, I was more than bitter. I wanted to kill that piece of filth, and thought about how I would do it. But I realized that a murder investigation would never go away, and every memeber of SWAT would be suspected. So, instead, I shot him in the kneecap from two blocks away. Oh there was a fuss, but since he was in no danger of dying and gang members get shot as regular as clockwork, the investigation soon stalled and then ended. At the time I thought that would be it - my one time on the wrong side of the law, even if it was true justice."

Will interrupts. "But the scum keep coming, and year after year the violence and suffering continues. Having got away with it once, you couldn't resist trying again when another 'injustice' needed correcting."

"Yeah, yeah - I know I sound crazy, but it felt so good to get a little payback when the system failed."

"So how did Pamela Price get involved with you instead of printing what would have been a career making story?"

"We were here in my office, and she was questioning me about the sniper. It was why I agreed to see her, to find out how much evidence she had. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to start an official investigation. I thought of denying everything, dumping the rifle in the river and daring I.A. to prove my guilt, but for some reason I felt the need to...confess."

Carlisle grunts, "Brag."

"Maybe. I told Pam everything, about the ten men I had shot up until then, what kind of horrible monsters they were and how good it felt to...punish them. Her reaction surprised me - it turned her on. The next thing I know, we're having sex on this desk..."

"Right next to your wife's picture. Nice." Will comments with heavy sarcasm.

"That sow? Fourteen years of marriage, with no kids, but that didn't stop her from packing on an extra sixty pounds. Over a year ago she tells me she is no longer interested in sex, and I was relieved! Then Pam came along, and for the first time I found out what hot sex is really like. So yeah, I started an affair with her. We had this dirty little secret that kept her coming back for more. She loved hearing all of the gory details while we were doing it. Then...that wasn't enough. She wanted the personal experience."

"Are you saying Miss Price...?"

"She wanted to shoot one of them. We started going to my cabin on the weekends where I would school her on how to be a sniper. She was eager and learned quickly. Then last week, we drove to the Thirteenth Street gang's territory and set up on a roof top a couple of blocks away from Tommy Wu's house. Tommy was already on my list - he deals not only in drugs, but also runs a brothel full of underaged girls for the local pervs who like that sort of thing. Pam was a real pro - I was so proud of her! As soon as Tommy stepped out of his front door, Pam nailed him in his left elbow. He'll never use that arm again. Then she and I had sex, right there on the rooftop even while the cops and ambulance were showing up."

"That must have cemented your relationship. So why kill her?" Will asks.

Carlisle comments, "Because she dumped him."

Gordon nods sadly, a few tears running from his eyes. "She got what she wanted, her perverse little thrill, and then she didn't need me any more. Damn, I knew what she was like, but I fell for her anyway. It was hard to swallow, the way she used me and discarded me, but I'm a big boy and I could take it. That would have been the end of it - the two of us going our separate ways with only our secret in common..."

"Then why?"

"Everyday Lucy - Lt. Preston, and I start our day with coffee and small talk. Monday morning, while we were talking, Lucy checked her schedule on her computer. I saw the appointment at noon with Pam. I thought, that little bitch, she's going to turn me in. That's why she was so careful about no one finding out about us, why she didn't include me in her sex journal...oh yeah, I knew about that. She could deny what she did, there was no proof we were ever together and certainly none that she had shot Tommy Wu. She got her thrill and was going to have her story too. I would just look like a desperate, guilty man trying to throw blame back on her."

Toni says, "But Lt. Preston said Miss Price was only coming for an interview."

Gordon shakes his head. "No, I knew her. Carlisle?"

Carlisle nods. "Yeah, Pam was all about getting what she wanted. She was going to turn you in."

"That's when I decided, she had to die."

Will asks, "Why here at the station?"

"I knew Pam would be spending the morning at the courthouse - security is tight there, even tighter than it is here. I also knew she usually used the backstairs, and I was one of the cops who was around when that night janitor told the desk sergeant about the broken lock on the display case of old weapons. I remembered the stiletto and knew I could quickly and quietly kill Pam with it. So, I got the knife and positioned myself at the top of the stairs just before noon. When Pam made it to the third floor, I stabbed her - making sure the blade stayed in and I got no blood on me. Of course I wore gloves. I was about to position the body so that it looked like Pam was going upstairs when I heard someone coming. It was that damn hooker on her way up to Internal Affairs. I had to drop the body and run to keep from being seen. If it weren't for that bad piece of luck, I might have gotten away with it."

Gordon finishes his written statement and signs it, including his title of lieutenant.

Will says, "Alright George, we have to book you now."

Gordon chuckles and looks at three cops he has worked with and liked. "Yeah...an ex-cop in prison. That's not a very pleasing prospect, is it? What a way to end a career. You know Will, when I first started, cops carried throwaway guns in case you shot a suspect who turned out not to be armed. Planting one of those spared you a lot of hassles with the police commission. I guess I'm just old fashioned..."

Will, Toni and Carlisle all realize what George Gordon is saying and rush forward to stop him, but...too late. The small automatic he routinely carried strapped to his ankle suddenly is in his hand and then to his head. All through the police station cops look about wondering where that shot...

THE END

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